No. We won’t ask for your name or any other personal information -- just an email address or phone number so we can invite you to create your journal entries. We will never call you. Your contact information will not be shared with anyone else, or used for any purpose unrelated to this project.

After the first survey, every two weeks you will receive an invitation to journal by SMS or email (depending on how you choose to submit entries at the time when you enroll). This invitation will include a link to that week’s journaling prompts. You can return to journal as many times as you like until you submit.

When we send a link, some people like to click and respond right away – but that's up to you.  The link won't expire.

Also, you can get started, take a break, and finish when you're ready. If you click the link again, you'll pick up where you left off.

Yes, you will be compensated every time you journal or participate in another aspect of the study (for a total of $200 if you complete all stages of the study), but the payment won’t be instant. You will receive a gift card through email or SMS on a monthly basis. 

The breakdown for compensation is the following:

• $10/journal submission
• $30/interview
• $30/focus group
• $20/project completion

You can choose to submit text, audio, photos, or some combination of these things as your journal. For help submitting audio files please see the instructions below. You can also watch this online video tutorial.

iPhone:

• Open the “Voice Memos” audio recording app that came with your phone. (You can use a different app if you prefer.) To start and stop recording, click the red button. When you're done recording, click the “...” icon on the bottom left of your recording, and you'll see more options. Scroll down to “Save to Files.” If you signed up with the Pandemic Journaling Project using your computer, you can record on your phone, then use this menu to send the audio file to yourself by email, messages, or a third-party app.
• To upload your audio file: Whether you're creating your journal on your phone or your computer, go back to your journal entry page, and click the grey box under “Upload audio recording” to upload your file. Click on “Browse …” and select your file. Your file is now uploaded!

Android:

• On your journal page, click the grey box under “Upload audio recording” to upload your file. The pop-up menu “Choose an action” will open. On some Android phones, the option “Voice Recorder” will appear. 
• If this option is not available to you, open “Voice Recorder,” the audio recording app that came with your phone. You can use a different audio recording app if you prefer. To start and stop recording, click the red button. You'll be asked to name the recording. Type in a name, then click on “Save.” Click on your recording. The “...” icon will appear in the top right corner. Click on the “...” icon, then click Save recording as audio file.” 
• If you signed up with the Pandemic Journaling Project using your computer, you can make audio recordings on a phone, then use this menu to send the audio file to yourself by email, messages, or a third-party app.
• To upload your audio file: Whether you're creating your journal on your phone or your computer, go back to your journal entry page, and click on the grey box under “Upload audio recording” to upload your file. Click on “Files” and select your file. Your file is now uploaded!

Google Pixel:

• On your journal page, click the grey box under “Upload audio recording” to upload your file. The pop-up menu “Choose an action” will open. On some Google Pixel phones, the option “Recorder” will appear.
• If this option is not available to you, open “Voice Recorder,” the audio recording app that came with your phone. (You can use a different audio recording app if you prefer.) To start and stop recording, click the red button. You'll be asked to name the recording in the “Add title” box. Type a name for your recording in the “Add title” box, then click on “Save.” Click on the recording, then click “Share” on the top right. Select “audio file” to save the recording as an audio file. Choose where you want to save your recording (e.g. your Files, Google Drive). 
• To upload your audio file: Whether you're creating your journal on your phone or your computer, go back to your journal entry page, and click the grey box under “Upload audio recording” to upload your file. Click “Browse” and select your file. Your file is now uploaded!

Third-party audio recording apps

If you prefer to use a third-party recording app, examples include Smart Recorder, Smart Voice Recorder, Sony Audio Recorder, and Otter Voice Notes.